Today's Gospel continues the theme of last
Sunday. We must always be ready, for death indeed but also for those times when Jesus
comes to us in the form of one of the least of the brothers and sisters looking for help.
We must be prepared to serve Jesus at table in whatever form he appears. If we are not,
then Jesus might well ask what good are.

Once upon a
time a family was driving home from their summer vacation. It had been a good vacation and
everyone was happy about it, including the Daddy, who had a reputation of being something
of an impatient man. However, the vacation was now over and it was time to get back to the
real world. To this with the greatest amount of efficiency - the Daddy always prized
efficiency - the family had to leave their vacation house at noon on Sunday to beat the
late afternoon traffic. WELL, I hardly need tell you that, mommies and kids being what
they are, they had not even begun to load the SUV at noon. Nor at 1:00. Nor even at 1:30.
Finally, they hit the highway at 1:45, right on the cusp of Sunday traffic. With a little
bit of luck, they would miss the worst of it, though there would be delays at the toll
gates. They had driven abouta half mile down the road when they saw one of
those little cars that parents give their kids for graduation (an Izuzu Trooper actually)
pulled over at the side of the road with a flat tire. Melissa has a flat tire one of the kids shouted. Melissa
was a teenager who had babysat for the family. We should stop and help her, the mommy
said. Mommies are always saying things like that. We haven't got time, the Daddy said as
he drove on. We have to beat the traffic. Someone else will stop to help her. The car was
very silent the rest of the way home.